Intel QuickSync performance questions

[kc7457]

I am a previous user of DVDFab on a much older XP based OS platform, so with great expectation I was hoping to see some serious performance improvements under my new Win64 Professional platform. Just for some background, I have just completed a new system build consisting of an Asus P8Z68 Deluxe Mother Board, with a Intel i7 2600K processor (mildly over clocked to 4.5 GHz) and 16GB of DDR3 RAM. This system also has a combination of a SSD (Crucial M4 256GB) for the OS and a 2 GB RAID (Two 1 GB Western Digital RE4's) for storage. Finally, I am using a mid-range Nvida based GPU, the GTS450 OC, since I am not a gamer. Anticipating several questions relating to running that "latest drivers, yes I am; both software and firmware. It is a brand new system and I spent hours in ensuring the latest drivers were loaded. Needless to say this system is very powerful and fast.... unless testing under v8.1.1.7.

Here are my observations:

This particular MB supports QuickSync via D-mode only, so under the Lucid Virtu control panel I added two "applications", fabcore.exe and dvdfab.exe, which is how other QuickSync application (like Media Expresso) needs to recognized under D-mode. I know this setup is working since DVDFab "allows" me to select QuickSync for both decode and encode.

So I decided to test the performance of this brand new system using my daughter's personally owned Blu-ray movie Rango in a test scenario of a Blu-ray "Full-Disk" copy to BD25. Before I started I created an .ISO file of the original Rango movie onto to my RAID (about 27GB) and I am then using this ISO file as source to the Full Disk" copy with target being yet another folder on my RAID to eventually burn, via ImgBurn, as a BD25 Blu-ray.

Before starting this process, I went into DVDFab's "Settings / A/V Codec" to ensure that Decoding H.264 and MPEG2 was set QuickSync (Vc1 was set to Cuda). For the Encoder, I set that QuickSync as well. My logic was every codec that takes advantage of QuickSync will be used.

Now the performance; I am averaging less than 2.0 MB/s as indicated on DVDFab's status bar. This also translated to an estimated run time of over 5 hours! I believe DVDFab is sending the encoding requests to the iGPU, since DVDFab's running log states "Intel GPU acceleration for video decoding enabled". BTW, my Fabcore.exe is only using about 5 to 8 % CPU (not even all cores), but I would expect this, since the iGpu should be taking much of the load from the 2600K CPU But this observed performance can not be the "norm", can it?

Frankly, my 6 year old XP based system with a old Intel P4 processor and 2 GB of Ram can do the same (using software for decode/encode) in about 16-18 hours, yet my current system is on a (computational) order of being 25x times faster, yet only 3x faster for this Blu-ray exercise.

So, I have given you my system specification(s). What has been your DVDFab development benchmark tests using Quicksync? I am not bragging, but I can't believe you benchmarked this on a faster i7 2600K system.

And I am not ready to clobber my Blu-ray decoding by using just my raw 2600K (over clocked) CPU power, since you do advertise Qucksync's speed / elegance / quality.

I also suggest you create Quicksync primer; specifically and more importantly officially telling us Z68 owners what arethe optimal A/V Codec parameters for DVDFab under this new Intel technology. So far, in reading the forum on this topic it is hit and miss. And frankly you can't get a more "clean" system than mine.... As DVDFab was the first application I have installed beyond the OS and Imgburn. So there is no other application "pollution" occurring on this setup......

OK... I'm open for suggestions / tips from other Z68 owners (particularly running in D-mode). And of course I am awaiting an official response from the technical folks at DVDFab.

Thanks all,

Ken

[ernielee]

Hi Ken

I don't have x68 mobo I have a p67 with 2600K and I do movie only.
My A/V setting are decode all to software and encode software+CUDA.
With my set up I get 12MB/s - 16MB/s avg compression to BD25 about
35-40min.Try my setting with no lightning recording and let us know.

[IPopov50]

@
Go to : Common Settings -> General -> Click "Reset DMA" button and try again

[Potti]

Hi kc7457:
Thank you for your log.
I will check the performance of Intel Quick Sync, but only i5.

[Mr H.264]

I have been playing with the Quicksync options for months and have never got it to work properly with both encoding and decoding selected. I now just leave it set to Quicksync decoding and software encoding and I get around 100fps on mkv.h264.ac3 at 1080p and around 130fps on 720p conversions.

I have a Z68 motherboard with an I7-2600k at 4.4ghz with 8gb ram.

[kc7457]

Hi Ken

I don't have x68 mobo I have a p67 with 2600K and I do movie only.
My A/V setting are decode all to software and encode software+CUDA.
With my set up I get 12MB/s - 16MB/s avg compression to BD25 about
35-40min.Try my setting with no lightning recording and let us know.

Ernielee,

Thank you for your performance stats. I will use that as a quasi benchmark during my testing. Unfortunately your P67 can't access the Intel iGPU, so QuckSync assisted transcoding will be unavailable for you (only the H67 and Z68 chipsets have this ability).

BTW, lightning recording was not selected / activated.

Regards,

Ken

[kc7457]

@
Go to : Common Settings -> General -> Click "Reset DMA" button and try again

Resetting DMA had no effect.

BTW, isn't the DMA protocol only for ATAPI (e.g., Optical) drives? If you recall my initial thread, I created and ISO file onto a RAID 0 (Sata 2) platform, so the trascoding process totally bypassed ATAPI and I believe DMA.

Regards,

Ken

[signals]

I will try to get my friend Chameleon to post here, he has done extensive testing with QuickSync.

[kc7457]

Hi kc7457:
Thank you for your log.
I will check the performance of Intel Quick Sync, but only i5.

Team Lead,

Appreciate your quick reply. I may be in the minority, but since my Asus MB (P8Z68 Deluxe) only supports Lucid's "D-mode", I need to specifically indicate which programs I want the Lucid Virtu application to pass onto the Intel iGPU core (that is QuickSync transcoding engine). I have added "dvdfab.exe" and fabcore.exe" to this list. But might there be other DVDFab executables? That is why I stated in my earlier thread it would be nice for you to have a primer / tutorial for us QuickSync users. Rest assured QuickSync will not be in the minority for long, as this engine's transcoding prowess has been well documented.

And based upon several other QuickSync forum members, who have also reported QS problems, I would like the development team to maybe slow down with all the new features (3D to 2D, for example) and focus on quality assurance with fundamental transcoding options, like QuickSync. Granted, this is my humble opinion, but I suspect this opinion resonates with other forum members.

Regards,

Ken

[Chameleon]

Hi kc7457:
Do still have Media Expresso installed? Are you sure its not running in the Task Manager? You can only use one of these programs at a time. I personally uninstalled Media Expresso ( it came on the install disc for my motherboard) I am using an Asrock Z-68 Extreme 4, I also have Lucid Virtue install, can you tell me what the Lucid Virtue Panel says when you open the window? It should be off and you should be using the processor graphics. Now once you have done all that, can you show me a screenshot of the A/V codec part of the setting, it should look like this. I like the Intel Mode but its up to you, I have no idea what other graphics card you have installed, you can see I have the MSI Twin Frozr 11 480GTX, but thats not important now, we are trying to get your rig to encode faster correct? When you added Fab to the Virtue panel did you uncheck all the Media Expresso boxes? Is this the video card you are using?

[trife]

laptop
Intel Core i7-2630QM 2ghz
LENOVO Emerald Lake MB Intel HM65
8 gigs mem
slow 5400 rpm HD

I've had a bug where my rips dont work right (studdering/jerky video) but under the iphone4.h264.aac profile for whatever reason it worked. getting about 27fps I say "about" cause this is where the # is at 50% of the rip. the number started at 40 i think and slowly ticking down the fps. Audio is about 1 or 2 seconds behind video though. I'll have to try some tweaks here.

approx 30% of cpu is used by dvdfab so I may not even have quick sync working. under other software i've gotten as high as 188/200fps but that could just be bad quality rip or a million other settings that made it pass through faster.

Cant enable VC-1 so maybe thats what im suppose to have enabled for the speed boost?

anyway ya, 27fps to rip a bd50 main movie to 720p on iphone4 profile. Anything else you want to know ask.

couldn't find the edit option but to follow up the file did complete. its just broken for me (jerky) if you dont have that issue then the time was certainly exceptable. about 35 min

[kc7457]

Chameleon,

Appreciate the response. Let me try to clarify some elements of this thread....

1) The system which I am testing DVDFab on, only has ImgBurn, DVDFab, the Win7 OS/SP1 and some ASUS utilities. That's it.... No Media Espresso, etc. The earlier reference to that product was because, and by default, Lucid Virtu automatically includes that application in its pre-build / pre-known QuckSync aware applications.

2) I will try to take some screen shots (since it is such a "bare" system, I have not installed utilities like FastSone capture), but the Lucid Virtu panel is "on" and in addition to the three default (QuickSync) applications that Lucid pre populates (one of them being Media Espresso), I added "dvdcore.exe" and "dvdfab.exe" ... Which is required if running in d-mode, which my MB, the Asus P8Z68 Deluxe, requires. On a sidebar... No one from the DVDFab development team has confirmed if these are the only two executables from their product that should be identified in Lucid's application panel. Furthermore, I think you need to review the nuances between Lucid's i-mode and d-mode, since my MB needs to run in d-mode; hence the (Lucid) panel must be "on" [contrary to your suggestion, below]. I still remain confused as to why you think I should deactivate Media Espresso in Lucid's control panel, when 1) I do not have that application installed and 2) the Lucid control panel entry only indicated that it will pass that applications QuickSync call to the Sandy Bridge i-GPU.

3) As for the DVDFab codec being used, as I stated earlier, I am using QucikSync for every element, except for VC1, which is set to CUDA. Interestingly, you also have "Lightning-recording" activated.... which several other forum members specifically state NOT to use when transcoding with QS. Which brings me back to another original point.... DVDFab development team should produce a primer / tutorial that clearly states what (and what not) to activate, when transcoding with QS.

4) As for my current discrete GPU, here is the URL of my identical product .. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041RRNDK

I really appreciate you taking the time to assist... Not only for me, but evidently for several other forum members who are also having issues optimally using QS with DVDFab. (I say optimally, since I am evidently using / calling it from it DVDFab, but not a the frame rate / MB's that I would expect to see.

Regards,

Ken

Hi kc7457:
Do still have Media Expresso installed? Are you sure its not running in the Task Manager? You can only use one of these programs at a time. I personally uninstalled Media Expresso ( it came on the install disc for my motherboard) I am using an Asrock Z-68 Extreme 4, I also have Lucid Virtue install, can you tell me what the Lucid Virtue Panel says when you open the window? It should be off and you should be using the processor graphics. Now once you have done all that, can you show me a screenshot of the A/V codec part of the setting, it should look like this. I like the Intel Mode but its up to you, I have no idea what other graphics card you have installed, you can see I have the MSI Twin Frozr 11 480GTX, but thats not important now, we are trying to get your rig to encode faster correct? When you added Fab to the Virtue panel did you uncheck all the Media Expresso boxes? Is this the video card you are using?

[ernielee]

so have you done any test run ?
are you able to get intel quickync to work and if so what speeds are
you getting.

I did a test run on Rango full disk to BD25 avg 13.5-14.4 @37min
with my P67/2600K.

[kc7457]

Assuming your question 1) Was directed towards me and 2) Inferred that I try strictly "software" transcoding, then unfortunately I can not perform this test, at this time. Thanks to my Corsair H100 failing on me (some owners have also reported the same issue as me; speed control and fans no longer work) I am unfortunately back on Intel's stock CPU heatsink/cooler and if I even begin a test I hit nearly the i7 2600k's TjMax. Awaiting Corsair's RMA process and once the H100 is back in place, I will test, exclusively using software as the means of transcoding.

But if you are interested in my QS transcoding metrics for Rango, I did originally post them in my first thread; a measly 2MB/s encode.

I do appreciate your follow-up, but I am currently in stasis, awaiting the RMA from Corsair.

Ken

so have you done any test run ?
are you able to get intel quickync to work and if so what speeds are
you getting.

I did a test run on Rango full disk to BD25 avg 13.5-14.4 @37min
with my P67/2600K.

[ernielee]

Assuming your question 1) Was directed towards me and 2) Inferred that I try strictly "software" transcoding, then unfortunately I can not perform this test, at this time. Thanks to my Corsair H100 failing on me (some owners have also reported the same issue as me; speed control and fans no longer work) I am unfortunately back on Intel's stock CPU heatsink/cooler and if I even begin a test I hit nearly the i7 2600k's TjMax. Awaiting Corsair's RMA process and once the H100 is back in place, I will test, exclusively using software as the means of transcoding.

But if you are interested in my QS transcoding metrics for Rango, I did originally post them in my first thread; a measly 2MB/s encode.

I do appreciate your follow-up, but I am currently in stasis, awaiting the RMA from Corsair.

Ken

Hi Ken,

I had a H80 stop working after 2 days return it and went with a big HSF
Scyth Mugen 2 Rev SCMG-2100 very low noise level working great.
Just interested in X68 proformance with and without quicksync.
Helping a friend with new build looking at a Gigabyte ga-z68x-ud7-b3 w/2600K
good luck let us know when you'r up.

ernielee
Let us know when yo